Combined truck and coupler for toy railroads



F. PETTIT COMBINED TRUCK AND COUPLER FOR TOY RAILROADS Filed Nov. 16,1946 Nov. 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FknN/r Parr/5' uLLJ/.W v.

ATTRNEY Nov. 10, 1953 PE1-Tn- 2,658,629

COMBINED TRUCK AND COUPLER FOR Toy RAILROADS Filed Nov. 16, 194e ssheetssheet 2 5'/ 47 3 @al W45 ATTORNEY Y NOV. 10, 1953 F, PET-rrr2,658,629

l COMBINED TRUCK AND COUPLER FOR TOY RAILROADS Y Filed NOV. 16, 1946 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR w FRANK Pe'Tr/-r L j B2 Z i Z/ ATTQRNEY atenteciNov. 10, 17953:

UNITED stares Meur OFFICE COMBINED TRUCK AND COUPLER FOR TOY RAILROADSFrank Pettit, Union, N. J assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 16, 1946, SerialNo. 710,355

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to combined trucks and couplers for toyrailroads. The pres; ent invention contemplates couplers for toyrailroad cars, the couplers being made in a form which more closelysimulates the appearance of standard railroad couplers than the couplersheretofore in use on toy railroad vehicles.

According to the present invention the coupiers have interengageableknuckles which swing about vertical axes and are capable of automaticcoupling and electromagnetic release.

According to the present invention the knuckles of the couplers havevertical interengaging sur*- faces of substantial extent so thatirregularities in track level are taken care of by relative ver; ticalmovement of the couplers.

The present invention also contemplates im proved arrangements formounting the couplers and coupler operating mechanism on two wheeledtrucks such as employed in toy electric railroads, together with themounting of the contact devices required for operating' the car lightsand conducting current to the electromagnetic couplers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide couplers whichneither interfere with lifting a toy car coupled in a train from thesupporting track, nor with placing two cars with closed couplers incoupled relation.

Other and further objects will hereinafter appear as the descriptionproceeds.

The accompanying drawings show for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, two embodiments in which the invention may take form, itbeing understood that the drawings are illustrative of the inventionrather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a complete truck and coupler with partsof the coupler in section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showa ing two couplers incoupling engagement;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan View show ing two couplers about tobecome engaged;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the truck and coupler of Figures 1and 4 Figure 6 is an exploded view showing the component parts of thecoupler;

Figure l is an exploded View showing the coinponent parts of the currentcollectors and collector support;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure l showing a modied form ofconstruction;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the lines 9 9 of Figures 8 and 10;and

Figure 1G is an inverted plan View Of the coupler shown in Figures 8'and 9.

The truck illustrated herein employs a sheet metal bridging or bodymember 2&3, side plates 2l-2l, axles 22-22 and wheels 23. This truck isshown and described more in detail in Bonanno Patent 2,526,452 ofOctober 17, 1950.

In the construction shown in Figures l through 7 inclusive, the couplerparts and electrical parts are secured to the truck body by a bent metalstrap 25 which has a flat upper portion 2t secaurnegtozthe body member2t by the central rivet 2l also used to secure the truck to the carbody. As shown in the drawings, the right hand end of the strap 25 isbent downwardly as indicated at 28 and has a reduced end 2Q. Anintermediate portion ofthe strap extends downwardly as indicated at 3U,then leftwardly as indicated at 3|, then upwardly as indicated at andhorizontally as indicated at 33, where it is nar'- rowed and alsoprovided with an aperture et.

A coupler head 3S, preferably in the form of a die casting has a tubularrivet-like portion 36 adapted to extend down through a groundingterminal plate 3l of a solenoid coil 38 and through the hole 3 of thestrap 25 and be upset to secure these parts together as indicated inFigure 4. In this manner the coupler head and solenoid coil are ixedlysecured to the truck. To prevent twisting of the coupler head on itssupport, the bottom of the coupler head has a downwardly opening recess3Q which fits about the end 33 of the strap 25.

The coupler head 35 has a recess et adapted to accommodate a knuckle ilcarried on a pin if? and biased in a clockwise direction as viewedlnrliigure 1, by a spring 113. The knuckle has a latching arm 44 whichextends into the recess 40 and a coupling arm 125. The arm i5 extendsfrom the side llt of the coupler head carrying pivot pin 132 to theother side lll.

The knuckle 4| when in the unlatched or uncouple'd position, is in theposition shown in Figure 3 and in the dot and dash line position ofFigure 1. When the knuckle is turned to tension the spring 43 theextreme inner end 4S of the knuckle presses against the end of amagnetic pin 49 urged leftwardly in Figure l by a spring 55, andcompresses this spring. When the knuckle has reached substantially thelimit of its movement the spring I! protracts the pin 49 past theshoulder 5| of the knuckle and locks the knuckle in the full lineposition shown in Figure 1 and in the position shown in Figures 2, 4 and5.

In this form of construction the tube 52 carrying a solenoid coil 38 isopen to the right so that the spring 55 can press against the downwardlyextending portion 30 of the strap 25. The solenoid also carries aninsulating strap 53 provided with a connector 54, to which the wire 55from the coil is secured.

The vertical part 3E! of the strap 25 is provided with an opening El) toreceive the reduced end 6I of an insulation strip 62. Near the other endof this strip is an opening 63 to receive the reduced end 29 of themetal strap 25. Ihe insulation strip 62 is provided with slots 5.4, 65to receive prongs Eli-66 of the collector shoe bracket 61. This bracketcarries a grooved, insulating collector shoe body 65, a metal collectorshoe plate 69 and rivet 10 in such a manner that the assemblage can moveup and down as it travels along the rail. Between the bracket 51 and theinsulating strip 62 is mounted a contactor 1l which has a spring element'l2 in engagement with the shoe plate 69 and a soldering lug 'I3 whichis secured to the terminal 54 of the coil 38. In this manner current canbe transmitted to the coil 38 at any time when the circuit is closed tothe auxiliary rail on which the collector shoe rides. The strip 62 mayalso carry a collector bracket 74 which carries a pivoted collector armprovided with roller 16 as indicated. This roller and associated partswill normally be used on cars having electric lights or continuouslyoperated accessories.

The coupler parts are generally in the position indicated in full linesin Figure 1 and in the position shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. When twocars are coupled together the knuckles interlock as indicated in Figure5 so that one car can pull or push the other. The coupling arms 45-45 ofthe two couplers overlap as indicated and the couplers cannot beseparated in any ordinary operation of the cars. One coupler can move upand down relative to the other and yet maintain coupling contact owingto the wide vertical surfaces of the interengaged couplers. The couplerscannot separate laterally because there is insufficient space betweenthe coupling end of the knuckle on one coupler and the opposite side ofthat coupler for the mating coupler to be disengaged. Furthermore, thecouplers cannot be disengaged by swinging the cars relative to oneanother because the outside of the coupler adjacent the pivot of theknuckle, will engage the inside of the other coupler head when the partsare shifted to the extreme position as indicated in Figure 2.

When it is desired to uncouple the cars it is merely necessary toenergize one of the couplers which will release the knuckle and cause itto swing to the dotted line position of Figure 1 or to the positionshown in Figure 3. When the cars are to be coupled together the couplersapproach one another as indicated in Figure 3 and the outer end of thecoupler arm 45 engages the 4 surface 44 of the knuckle of the other carso as to force this knuckle back into the recess against the tension ofthe spring 43 to such an extent as to permit the plunger `49 to latchthe knuckle in coupling position.

Cars having these couplers may be very readily assembled on the track bymerely lowering the car down into position adjacent another car on thetrack with the parts so aligned that the knuckle of one coupler passesthrough the space provided in the coupler of the other car. A car may belifted out of a train without any interference whatever by the coupler.Should one desire to open the coupler on the car so that the cars can bejoined together automatically it is merely necessary to apply a suddenforce to the car in a direction to move the plunger 49 against thetension of the spring 5E), thereby releasing the knuckle.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 the truckframe, side plates, wheels and axles may be the same as above referredto. Here all the coupler parts and current collecting parts are securedto a mounting plate and this plate is fastenend on to the axles by bentover prongs as indicated at 8l. The plate Gil has, as shown in thedrawings, a leftwardly extending bracket arm 82 shaped and positionedsubstantially the same as the extreme end 33 of the strap 25. Thisbracket arm 52 carries the entire coupler mechanism.

In this form the coupler mechanism includes a coupler head 83 generallysimilar to the one above described and carrying the same form of knuckledi and knuckle spring 42. The coupler head 53, however, has an integraltubular extension 84 adapted to receive the plunger 85 and plungerspring 83 as well as a solenoid coil 8l' and terminal plate 88. Here theterminal plate is adapted to receive one end 39 of a spring contactwhich extends down on to and cooperates with a collector shoe assembly9i similar to that above described so that current can be supplied tothe solenoid coil 81 whenever desired. The plate B0 may also carry aninsulating support 92 on which is mounted a current collecting roller33, for use Where it is desired to supply a current to a lamp on thecar.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other formsand constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to beunderstood that the particular forms shown are but a few of these forms,and various modications and changes being possible, I do not otherwiselimit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupler for toy railroads comprising a coupler head having abifurcated end, a knuckle receiving recess opening toward said end, anaxially-disposed plunger having an end entering the bottom of therecess, a relatively soft spring protracting the plunger, `a knucklepivoted to one of the bifurcations of the coupler head and having alatch arm extending lengthwise of the recess and engageable with theplunger end to hold it against movement and a coupling arm extendingtoward the other bifurcation so as to couple with the similarly placedcorresponding arm of another coupler, and a knuckle spring acting onwithdrawal of the plunger to swing the knuckle and move the latch armpast the end of the plunger and the coupling arm out of couplingposition, the rst spring being readily yieldable and the plunger havingsuiicient mass to shift against the first spring when its movement denjolt.

S is suddenly stopped whereby the plunger may be thereby Withdrawn fromengagement with the knuckle.

2. A toy ear coupler having a knuckle spring fbiased to open position, areeiprocably mounted magnetizable plunger, a relatively soft springurging the plunger into position to engage the knuckle and hold itclosed, and a magnet coil for shifting the plunger to releasingposition, the mass of the plunger being relatively great Whereby itsinertia may be utilized to compress the soft spring and release theknuckle upon a sud- FRANK PET'IIT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Caldwell July 28, 1891 Woodman June 6, 1893 Tomlinson Nov. 30,1909 Ives Sept. 22, 1925 Ferri Aug. 6, 1940 Pettit Sept. 3, 194'0

